St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Encyclopedia
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School (often referred to as 'St Mary Redcliffe', 'Redcliffe' or 'SMRT') is a Church of England
voluntary aided school
for students aged 11 to 18, situated in the inner-city suburb
of Redcliffe
, Bristol
. It is close to St Mary Redcliffe Church
(on its northern side) and Bristol Temple Meads train station (to the east), while its southern boundary follows the New Cut
of the River Avon
. The school underwent a major rebuild that was completed in May 2011.
As the only Church of England secondary school
in the Diocese of Bristol
, SMRT differs from most comprehensive
state schools, in that entry is not restricted by catchment area
; the school serves both the city
and the outlying communities of Greater Bristol
, for which there are no alternative Church of England
schools. However, the school's administration now includes a small number of places for which no church link is required, thereby serving the immediate locality. The school is designated a 'Specialist Humanities College'. Elisabeth Gilpin is the headteacher; Director of Sixth Form is Adrian Champion.
in 1571, St Mary Redcliffe School began in a building outside the south porch of St Mary Redcliffe Church (near the present-day war memorial), before moving to the Lady Chapel inside the church. Formerly termed a 'Free Grammar School', The old school occupied a site on east side of Redcliffe Hill in a mixture of individual buildings or varying age, this was a boys only school until it merged with Temple Colston (Girls) School (founded 1709) in 1966 when a new school was built to replace the aging old schools, creating the co-educational 'SMRT', which moved to its present site in Somerset Square the following year. The dates of foundation for the original boys' and girls' schools (i.e. 1571 and 1709) appear superimposed
on the Maltese cross
-like crest of the school-uniform badge, itself part of the school's coat of arms
(pictured).
On entry to SMRT in Year 7, students join James House (for a number of years located at Boot Lane, in nearby Bedminster); they are then placed in one of the four main houses: Canynges
(yellow
), Cartwright (blue
), Colston
(red
) and Francombe (green
). The house names refer to notable civic dignitaries, ecclesiastical benefactors and local educational pioneers. Although the colours of the SMRT shield include 'Colston' blue (usually identified outside the school as royal blue), the colour assigned to Colston house is red.
The school's two motto
s are 'Steadfast in Faith' (historic) and 'A Christian Community Committed To Excellence' (modern). Both reflect the partnership with St Mary Redcliffe Church, and also the official faith
of the school. The earlier Redcliffe (boys) School used the motto Prayer, Practice, Perseverance and Punctuality, known as the 4 P's. Annual events include House Eucharist
s, beginning and end of year services, an Ascension Day Eucharist, the Redcliffe Community Summer Fete
, a Christmas carol
service, and the annual Colston Day service.
The school has been used for TV productions. In 2005 the school's buildings and uniforms featured in the BBC
's Patrick's Planet, while episodes of the Bristol-based Casualty
drama series have been filmed at the school. In 1997, to celebrate the 500th anniversary
of John Cabot
's discovery of mainland America
, SMRT students were invited to follow the progress of a replica of Cabot's ship, which the BBC filmed as it recreated the voyage of The Matthew
from the area in which it was built.
s, including approximately 450 in the Sixth Form
(Years 12-13). With the exception of some lessons requiring extra space and facilities (for example, the Old Reds fields in Brislington
being used for Games), most subjects are taught either in the Main Building (begun 1965), Temple Colston Building (opened 1987), Cartwright Building (opened 1998). SMRT's on-site sports facilities include an indoor swimming pool and gym, and the outdoor 'Arena' and hard-courts.
GCSE and 'A' level examination results are generally above the national average. As well as achieving 'Humanities College' status, SMRT became a Beacon School in 2000, and has also been part of the 'Excellence in Cities' scheme (incorporating 'Gifted & Talented' programmes).
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
voluntary aided school
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
for students aged 11 to 18, situated in the inner-city suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Redcliffe
Redcliffe, Bristol
Redcliffe, also known as Redcliff, is a district of the English port city of Bristol, adjoining the city centre. It is bounded by the loop of the Floating Harbour to the west, north and east, the New Cut of the River Avon to the south...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. It is close to St Mary Redcliffe Church
St Mary Redcliffe
St. Mary Redcliffe is an Anglican parish church located in the Redcliffe district of the English port city of Bristol, close to the city centre. Constructed from the 12th to the 15th centuries, the church is a Grade 1 listed building, St...
(on its northern side) and Bristol Temple Meads train station (to the east), while its southern boundary follows the New Cut
New Cut (Bristol)
The New Cut is an artificial waterway which was constructed between 1804 and 1809 to divert the tidal river Avon through south and east Bristol, England. This was part of the process of constructing Bristol's Floating Harbour, under the supervision of engineer William Jessop...
of the River Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
. The school underwent a major rebuild that was completed in May 2011.
As the only Church of England secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the Diocese of Bristol
Diocese of Bristol
The Diocese of Bristol is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. It is based in the city of Bristol and covers South Gloucestershire and parts of north Wiltshire to Swindon...
, SMRT differs from most comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
state schools, in that entry is not restricted by catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
; the school serves both the city
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and the outlying communities of Greater Bristol
Greater Bristol
Greater Bristol is a term used for the conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West of England. There is no official "Greater Bristol" authority, but the term is sometimes used by local, regional and national authorities, and others as a synonym for either the...
, for which there are no alternative Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
schools. However, the school's administration now includes a small number of places for which no church link is required, thereby serving the immediate locality. The school is designated a 'Specialist Humanities College'. Elisabeth Gilpin is the headteacher; Director of Sixth Form is Adrian Champion.
History and culture
On receiving an Elizabethan Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1571, St Mary Redcliffe School began in a building outside the south porch of St Mary Redcliffe Church (near the present-day war memorial), before moving to the Lady Chapel inside the church. Formerly termed a 'Free Grammar School', The old school occupied a site on east side of Redcliffe Hill in a mixture of individual buildings or varying age, this was a boys only school until it merged with Temple Colston (Girls) School (founded 1709) in 1966 when a new school was built to replace the aging old schools, creating the co-educational 'SMRT', which moved to its present site in Somerset Square the following year. The dates of foundation for the original boys' and girls' schools (i.e. 1571 and 1709) appear superimposed
Superimposition
In graphics, superimposition is the placement of an image or video on top of an already-existing image or video, usually to add to the overall image effect, but also sometimes to conceal something .This technique is used in cartography to produce photomaps by superimposing grid lines, contour lines...
on the Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
-like crest of the school-uniform badge, itself part of the school's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
(pictured).
On entry to SMRT in Year 7, students join James House (for a number of years located at Boot Lane, in nearby Bedminster); they are then placed in one of the four main houses: Canynges
William Canynge
William II Canynges was an English merchant and shipper from Bristol, one of the wealthiest private citizens of his day and an occasional royal financier. He served as Mayor of Bristol five times and as MP for Bristol thrice...
(yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
), Cartwright (blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
), Colston
Edward Colston
Edward Colston was a Bristol-born English merchant and Member of Parliament. Much of his wealth, although used often for philanthropic purposes, was acquired through the trade and exploitation of slaves...
(red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
) and Francombe (green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
). The house names refer to notable civic dignitaries, ecclesiastical benefactors and local educational pioneers. Although the colours of the SMRT shield include 'Colston' blue (usually identified outside the school as royal blue), the colour assigned to Colston house is red.
The school's two motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
s are 'Steadfast in Faith' (historic) and 'A Christian Community Committed To Excellence' (modern). Both reflect the partnership with St Mary Redcliffe Church, and also the official faith
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
of the school. The earlier Redcliffe (boys) School used the motto Prayer, Practice, Perseverance and Punctuality, known as the 4 P's. Annual events include House Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
s, beginning and end of year services, an Ascension Day Eucharist, the Redcliffe Community Summer Fete
Fête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
, a Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
service, and the annual Colston Day service.
The school has been used for TV productions. In 2005 the school's buildings and uniforms featured in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Patrick's Planet, while episodes of the Bristol-based Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
drama series have been filmed at the school. In 1997, to celebrate the 500th anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of John Cabot
John Cabot
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the continent of North America since the Norse Vikings in the eleventh century...
's discovery of mainland America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, SMRT students were invited to follow the progress of a replica of Cabot's ship, which the BBC filmed as it recreated the voyage of The Matthew
Matthew (ship)
The Matthew was a caravel sailed by John Cabot in 1497 from Bristol to North America, presumably Newfoundland. After a voyage which had got no further than Iceland, Cabot left again with only one vessel, the Matthew, a small ship , but fast and able. The crew consisted of only 18 people. The...
from the area in which it was built.
Teaching and learning
SMRT has over 1,500 studentStudent
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s, including approximately 450 in the Sixth Form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
(Years 12-13). With the exception of some lessons requiring extra space and facilities (for example, the Old Reds fields in Brislington
Brislington
Brislington is an area in the south east of the city of Bristol, England. It is on the edge of Bristol and from Bath. The Brislington Brook runs through the area in the woodlands of Nightingale Valley...
being used for Games), most subjects are taught either in the Main Building (begun 1965), Temple Colston Building (opened 1987), Cartwright Building (opened 1998). SMRT's on-site sports facilities include an indoor swimming pool and gym, and the outdoor 'Arena' and hard-courts.
GCSE and 'A' level examination results are generally above the national average. As well as achieving 'Humanities College' status, SMRT became a Beacon School in 2000, and has also been part of the 'Excellence in Cities' scheme (incorporating 'Gifted & Talented' programmes).
Renovation work
The main building of the school has recently (in the past year) been knocked down to make way for the new school. The new building has replaced Cartwright building, whilst Temple Colston building has been renovated. The entire school hall is being revamped and a new sports hall has been built. The swimming pool and old gym are being left unchanged although they may be renovated in the near future.